APPLETON (NBC 26) — Appleton Area School District will recommend a change from optional masking to required face coverings for all students, staff and visitors during a 6 p.m. Monday school board meeting, according to Superintendent Judy Baseman.
The meeting will be livestreamed on the Appleton Area School District YouTube Channel. Limited registration is available for on-site public input. For complete information regarding public input opportunities, visit http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/district/board_of_education/public_input.
If approved, the requirements would go into effect Aug. 25 and likely reviewed at an Oct. 11 regular school board meeting.
Below is the full text of Baseman's statement:
Our initial Mitigation Protocols Proposal, approved by the Board of Education on July 26, included optional masking for Early Childhood through grade 12 to start the year. Due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic in the last several weeks, including the rapid spread of the new Delta Variant, we are recommending a change to required masks/face coverings for all students, EC-12, all district staff, and all visitors while indoors within district facilities and while on district transportation.
If approved by the Board of Education at their meeting on Monday, August 23, 2021, these requirements would go into effect beginning August 25, 2021. Masks/face coverings outdoors would continue to be optional. If approved, we anticipate a review of the recommended mask/face covering requirement with the Board at their regular meeting on October 11 to determine if/when this mitigation protocol should be revised.
We will continuously monitor and consider relevant data, conditions of the pandemic, and guidance from health officials to keep our students and staff as safe as possible in our classrooms, schools, programs and facilities. Keeping all students in school, five days a week for in-person learning is essential. Last year, when community rates of COVID-19 were at similar rates, we were able to keep students in school for in-person learning using required face coverings as a key mitigation strategy. Using all of the layers of mitigation tools and strategies that were proven to be effective last year while continuing to keep all students fully in-person gives us the best chance of success for students and staff.
Below is the full text of the letter sent to Appleton Area School District families:
Hello,
The top priority of the Appleton Area School District is to keep all of our students in school, five days a week, for in-person learning in a healthy and safe environment. Keeping all students, five days a week for in-person learning is essential for many reasons, including continuity of student learning, social emotional support, access to food services, and parent/guardian work schedules.
Our initial Mitigation Protocols Proposal, approved by the Board of Education on July 26, included optional masking for Early Childhood (EC) through grade 12 to start the year. Due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic in the last several weeks, including the rapid spread of the new Delta Variant, we are recommending a change to required masks/face coverings for all students, EC-12, all district staff, and all visitors while indoors within district facilities and while on district transportation.
If approved by the Board of Education at their meeting on Monday, August 23, 2021, these requirements would go into effect beginning August 25, 2021. Masks/face coverings outdoors would continue to be optional. If approved, we anticipate a review of the recommended mask/face covering requirement with the Board at their regular meeting on October 11 to determine if/when this mitigation protocol should be revised. We will continuously monitor and consider relevant data, conditions of the pandemic, and guidance from health officials to keep our students and staff as safe as possible in our classrooms, schools, programs and facilities.
What has changed since our initial Mitigation Protocols Proposal was approved by the Board on July 26?
- The state of the pandemic in our region has changed dramatically in recent weeks. The Delta Variant has become the predominant COVID-19 strain in our community, contributing to a surge in positive cases. Tri-county burden rates have increased from 17 for the week of June 20 to 157 for the week of August 16. City of Appleton burden rates have jumped from 20 for the week of June 20 to 291 for the week of August 16.
- These rates are much higher than during our summer school sessions, when masks/face coverings were optional and we had minimal positive cases among students. The last time we had these high levels of community rates was during the months of February and March this past spring. During that time, we were successful in keeping our students, EC-12, in our classrooms for in-person learning. Requiring masks/face coverings for everyone across the district was a key component of our successful mitigation protocols.
- New, updated guidance regarding masks/face coverings as a required mitigation strategy in schools has been released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Keeping all students in school, five days a week for in-person learning is essential. Last year, when community rates of COVID-19 were at similar rates, we were able to keep students in school for in-person learning using required face coverings as a key mitigation strategy. Using all of the layers of mitigation tools and strategies that were proven to be effective last year while continuing to keep all students fully in-person gives us the best chance of success for students and staff.
We have all learned over the last year and a half that conditions of the pandemic can change rapidly. We have to be prepared to change with them so we can keep our students healthy and in school, where they are at their best. Our students and staff have shown their ability to consistently practice required safety measures. We appreciate their efforts and are grateful for the ongoing support of our families as we work together for the good of all.
Thank you!
